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The Political Economy of Privatization: Why Do Governments Want Reforms?

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  • Kira Boerner

    (Department of Economics, University of Munich)

Abstract

International organizations promote privatization as precondition for economic development. But is there really too little privatization? This political economy model asks for the incentives of governments to privatize or restructure a state-owned firm. Different government types are compared to identify the political and institutional determinants of privatization. Under privatization, governments commit not to in influence the profit-maximizing employment choice by private investors. With respect to the social optimum, both voter-oriented and egoistic governments can have inefficiently high incentives to privatize. When this is the case, outside pressure to privatize is detrimental. An improving institutional environment reduces these inefficiencies.

Suggested Citation

  • Kira Boerner, 2004. "The Political Economy of Privatization: Why Do Governments Want Reforms?," Working Papers 2004.106, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    • Handle: RePEc:fem:femwpa:2004.106
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Andreas Kuhlmann, 2005. "Privatization Incentives – A Wage Bargaining Approach," ifo Working Paper Series 18, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    2. Giuseppe Cinquegrana & Serena Migliardo & Domenico Sarno, 2016. "Comparative analysis of private and public provision of the water and waste services by the Italian municipalities," ECONOMIA PUBBLICA, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2016(3), pages 149-176.
    3. Andreas Kuhlmann, 2007. "Essays on network industries : privatization, regulation, and productivity measurement," ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 26.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Political incentives; Privatization; Restructuring; Employment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • H82 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - Governmental Property
    • L33 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Comparison of Public and Private Enterprise and Nonprofit Institutions; Privatization; Contracting Out

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